mirror mirror
by Tess 4 5
Summary: Tommy has a surprise for Barbara and it is a huge (and crazy) step for him. Will Barbara take a huge step too? I'm still tidying up my note book. This is one of the scribblings. It's an episode of the Emerald Series. (I'm not entirely happy with it but I have to post it anyway.)
1. Disappointment

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the original characters nor the original Inspector Lynley Mysteries – they belong to Elizabeth George and the BBC. I have borrowed the characters from the TV-Show and only own the ideas of _my_ stories.

Please write a **P** rivate **M** essage if you find any mistakes. Thanks!

Please read and review! More thanks!

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 **Author's note and summary:** Tommy has a surprise for Barbara and it is a huge (and crazy) step for him. Will Barbara take a huge step too?

I'm still tidying up my note book. This is one of the scribblings and yes, I've had some strange ideas when I wrote them back in time even for this episode of the **Emerald Series** and I'm not completely happy with everything, but I post it anyway so I finally can focus on my other notes. Enjoy...

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 **mirror mirror - Disappointment**

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"You're talking too much about it, Thomas." Barbara had said once when he was drying his hair after a shared shower.

"I just want to make sure you know and agree and don't break up with me just because- Ouch!" Thomas exclaimed.

Barbara had slapped his naked bum with her towel and they both had to laugh.

During the previous weeks when they had been making love or when they had showered together Thomas had told her several times that he was planning to get a tattoo. At first Barbara just had laughed it off but then he had not stopped talking about it and it slowly was annoying her.

"I'd never break up with you just because you get a tattoo, you stupid." she had laughed. "You're not brave enough anyway. And now stop talking about that."

In fact she had not believed at all that Thomas Lynley, the 8th Earl of Asherton, Prince Poncy of the Met, would let someone ink his noble skin but at least he had stopped talking about it.

* * *

On Saturday evening after his birthday when she returned from work she found him lying on the settee reading a book. He told her that he had lounged about almost the entire day. Barbara envied him for that and refused to go out tonight so they had dinner at home, they watched TV and after another glass of wine when their cuddling had turned sleepily gentle and her yawns never stopped they finally called it a day. They switched off the TV, and still lying on the sofa they playfully debated if they simply stayed there or better went to bed. After a nice languid kiss they got up and left for the bedroom.

"What are you doin'?" Barbara asked when he checked if there was a message on his answering machine. Of course there was none. They had been here all evening and surely would have heard the phone ringing. She chuckled. "We would have heard it from the living room, wouldn't we?"

"Mh... just checking..." Thomas winked and they went upstairs to prepare for the night.

* * *

"Gosh, Tom!" Barbara had just put on her sleeping shirt when she stopped in the middle of a movement, her mouth agape. "Is this...?"

Thomas stood next to the bed completely naked. On his left hip there was an area covered with coloured clingfoil that was held in place with strips of plaster. Barbara knew exactly what was underneath. Covered not only by the foil but also with a thick layer of skin cream there surely was a fresh tattoo. The juvenile grin in his face just affirmed her guess.

"Yes, it is. That's why I've checked the answering machine. Not that you've secretly had left me."

"I never would have thought you'd really do this!" Barbara laughed and climbed into bed. Thomas quickly followed. "Why is the foil coloured? I can't see anything."

"That's the point. You'll see it when it's completely healed and not so red and sore."

"I look forward to its unveiling." she said with a bright smile.

"Oh, that will be hard for you. You have to be very patient." Thomas smiled in return and gave her a kiss on her pouting lips. "The tattooist told me I should keep it creamed for a week so it won't turn scabby."

Barbara nodded. She vaguely remembered the procedure and that she had not listened to what the tattooist had said when she got herself the ladybird. The itching had been horrible and it healed only slowly. With a tender gesture she combed his hair off his face and smiled.

"Tell me, how was it? Painful?"

With a heavy sigh Thomas nodded. "A lot. I don't think I'll get more of these."

"Never say never!" she chuckled and they kissed again. "Even I've got a second one."

"I'm so happy you're still here with me." he softly whispered.

She grinned. "Don't be stupid, Tom!"

"I'm not stupid." His face suddenly turned serious. "I just want to spend the rest of my life with you, Barbara."

"I'm not going to leave you, darling."

They exchanged a long smile. Then he deeply inhaled.

"Will you marry me?"

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Barbara was shocked. Now _this_ was a real proposal. Not very romantic, without him kneeling down and without a ring, half naked in bed at that, and quite a bit out of the blue, but it was a real proposal without a doubt. She was just about to answer positive, in fact everything inside loudly screamed _yes_. She had thought about a billion possible scenarios in which she thought she would say yes. In another billion scenarios she would say no. Now she had to decide and suddenly all her fears and _irrationally rational_ objections returned to her mind. And drowned out the loud _yes_.

She was thinking for too long. Tommy withdrew himself from her with pain in his heart. "Please refrain from saying no." He almost choked on his words.

"I wasn't going to say that..." Barbara quietly said. "But..."

"You weren't going to say yes either, right? So, it's a no..."

She sighed. "Umm... actually... It's a clear 'I don't know'... I... I don't think I... Well, we... You know..." Her stammering trailed off.

"So you mean in fact... no..." Seeing his face Barbara almost regretted the idiotic decision she had made now after the previous weeks when he had brought up the topic for the first time and wished she had answered with a clear yes. If she would say it now it would look as if he had talked her into it. This was idiotic. And still parts of her were clearly saying no.

"Well... I... I don't think it's a good idea... I..." Chewing on her lips she stopped.

"But you said..." Disappointed Thomas rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling. He had expected a happy yes. He really should not have listened to his sister, he told himself. He should not have asked, he thought. Or at least not yet. It was too early, he knew now, or even futile anyway, and his stupid question had made it even more difficult to ask again at a later, more appropriate time. He loved her and she had said she loved him but he did not know how he could convince her to stay with him forever. Sadness filled his head and he groaned annoyed.

Barbara propped herself on her elbow and moved a bit closer. She knew she had to set this right and explain her motive.

"Thomas..." She kissed his shoulder. "You know, I've thought about it a lot lately and I think I've come to the decision that I shouldn't marry you. Right at the moment I'm very much willing to spend the rest of my life with you and only you. I will never leave your side as long as you want me there. But I am not..." She sighed. "I don't know if I should marry you. Apart from the fact that I don't know what to think at all I don't think it is a good idea. I suppose. I... See, I'm not a Countess and never will be. I'm simply not... Well, I'm just a simple woman and not very elegant or educated or... whatever. I can't even find the right words. I'm your girlfriend, Tom, and that's gorgeous. At the moment I'd just like to keep it at that."

'At least for now.' she thought but was too afraid to say that. She just did not feel ready for that step. And they had not even made it public after more than two months.

Thomas just looked at her and the expression on his face was full of pain. Barbara almost cried but there still were too many ifs and buts in her mind. She sighed. With her index finger drawing circles on his chest she quietly told him again that she seriously had thought a lot about the option but in her opinion there were too many differences between them which could never be evened. She was an Acton girl and that would never change. Her complete life and nature never would be compatible with his nobility, she supposed, nor would she ever become a real countess. What would his family say, what would be with work, and so on. There still were a lot of objections. Stupid objections, but she did not say _that_.

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"Ah..." Thomas sighed again to hide his disappointment. He was hurt. He almost pouted. "But you love me!"

"Ah. Is that so...?!" Barbara teasingly grinned at him without keeping her hands off of the curly zone near his hidden new tattoo. A sudden contact a bit lower let him sharply inhale. It almost let him lose focus.

Trying to keep a straight face Thomas looked into Barbara's half open seductively sparkling green eyes. "Well, correct me if I'm wrong but as far as I can remember, you've said so a couple of times. So I really can't see-"

"Sh!" Barbara put her index finger on his lips and winked. "Mmmmh, yes, I love you. I really do. And I don't intend to leave you, but the _chance_ that I could change my mind concerning that certain topic means that you'd have to court me all the time so that I'll stay at your side _for sure_ , wouldn't you?" She started to chuckle. "You'll have to court me forever."

Her hand had stroked his upper leg all the time she had talked to him so now he was finally distracted.

"I don't agree with your silly thesis about the differences, or what others think and that thing with courting is even sillier-"

"Yes, I know." Barbara grinned.

"...but if I'll start right now, maybe there's a chance you'd change your mind tonight and you will agree to be my countess in the morning." He turned to Barbara again and pinned her down under his chest while they enjoyed a long and juicy kiss that left them breathless.

"Although..." Thomas eventually went on with a deep sigh. Something else bothered him. Something he should say and it probably would make her feel trapped again but it was one of his deepest wishes. He never had said it so clearly to anybody else before. "Well, I've thought about it a lot too, you know... We're not the youngest anymore... and I... I actually realised that I'd want _you_ to be the mother to my children, so... well..." He shrugged and waited for her reaction with a lopsided smile.

"Mhm... I've thought about that too." Barbara gave him a loving stare and smiled up into his face. "I mean, we're constantly 'forgetting' contraceptives, aren't we?"

Thomas lightly chuckled. "So it seems." Her distinct grip at his hip made him grin. "Hmmm..."

They kissed deeper now and it almost made them forget their stupid conversation and the tension from earlier.

"You know, there's no reason why we shouldn't have a child, Tom." Barbara eventually breathed into his ear. "Although it would mean we finally had to reveal... it would mean it would finally be obvious."

Briefly Thomas was distracted by their interactions under the duvet. Only the realisation that she wanted to start trying to make a baby right now made his mind shift back in gear.

"But..." he started but Barbara cut him short. She gave him the most seductive smile she was capable of and again placed her index finger on his lips to keep him silent.

"There's no need of a wedding ring to make a baby, is there?" she chuckled. "We're not living in those Victorian times anymore."

She finally closed his lips with hers and stopped every further attempt to talk by inviting his tongue to a gentle fight. She bent her knees and Tommy had no objections at all. Carefully avoiding touches on the sensitive area of his new tattoo they made love. The proposal was not forgotten though. It was only stored away again.

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	2. Lil' Dragon

**A/N:** Beware, this contains parts which are slightly above T-rating. You might blush (or giggle nervously).  
As for the previous chapter: I know, she should have said yes, but back in the days when I've outlined the story I had a no in my head and I didn't want to change it.

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 **Lil' Dragon**

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The topic of his proposal had not been brought up again in the morning. In fact they had not talked about it the entire day and so Sunday had been unusually quiet. The two Detectives had been in a pretty contemplative mood but they had survived the day and had relied on their deep love so in the evening they had gone out for dinner in a more relaxed mood.

The next Monday at the office instead was boring. If not a lucky coincidence would bring them further with their case they would stay stuck at that point forever or at least as long as it took their main witness to wake up from coma. To waste some time with serious stuff DI Lynley had built up three whiteboards in his office so he and his closest team consisting of DS Havers, DC Nkata and DC Norton would not disturb the others who were going through endless CCTV footage and old files in the open plan office.

Barbara had bought scones and cookies and coffee. Thomas had laughed about it and teased her. "And next time you'll bake them by yourself, Sweetie?"

But before Barbara was able to give him the reply he deserved the door sprang open and Winston and Alan joined them.

"Mmh! Cookies!"

For an hour or so they pinned notes and maps and pictures onto the boards and made more notes and drew links between the victim's rather huge circle of friends and family. At one point all four just stood there watching the boards and brooding over details. They only had gathered facts but none would lead them to any crime or reason for killing the poor woman.

* * *

Thomas groaned in despair. "There's nothing! Absolutely nothing!"

"I'll go for a cigerette." Alan muttered looking at his boss asking for permission. "Sir?"

"Yes, go have a break." Absentminded Lynley nodded. "Oh, and on your way back, please get the files we've talked about."

"Maybe it wasn't murder and their suggestion that it was an accident was right?" Barbara sighed and slightly leaned against him. With only Winston around she felt free to show some open signs of affection for the boss.

"Should I go and pester Lafferty once more?" Winston asked and leaned over to the chocolate cookies. He knew he should leave them alone for a few moments of privacy and offered the mortuary as an excuse.

"That'd be a good i-DEAR!" Thomas cried the last syllable, flinched and deeply inhaled. His eyes closed to keep calm. It had been a piercing pain he had felt on his hip.

While they had racked their brains he had perched against his desk where Barbara had put the food and drinks and when the Constable had angled for the treat he accidentally had moved the thermos flask with the coffee against his Inspector's side. Exactly where the fresh tattoo was hidden.

"Umm, I'm sorry, Sir." Winston apologised with a confused look.

"No, no, it's okay, Winston." Lynley breathed and briefly shook his head with closed eyes clenching his hands into fists. Barbara could not keep herself from smirking. She was wondering what her lover would reveal to Nkata and if there would be a single ounce of truth in his story. It was clear that Tommy would not want to tell the truth to his Constable. Barbara could see him suddenly blushing. "I just... Well, there's a nasty little wound at my hip where... umm... anyway... but, you know, it's not yet completely recovered."

Not exactly a lie, but not exactly the full truth, she thought. Barbara grinned even more and seeing his boss blushing and his colleague grinning so much Winston put one and one together. Of course he thought in the wrong but certainly in a very naughty direction.

"I... see..." he slowly answered and then snickered. "Well, I really should visit Lafferty, shouldn't I?" With the naughtiest grin and the announcement that he had to run another errand afterwards and would not be back but in an hour or so Nkata left Lynley's office. "You'll have plenty of time..." Just loud enough so they would hear him he murmured it closing the door.

"Get lost, Winston!" Barbara called after him. Thomas went to the door.

When the key in its lock clicked they heard the Constable's loud laughter from the corridor.

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"Tom!" Barbara hissed. "Unlock the door!"

"Ah, you like the thrill of getting caught?" His seductive grin when he unlocked the door again made her blush.

"We're not gettin' caught in anything here." she grumbled.

"Ah, well..." Back in front of his beloved Sergeant the Inspector smiled. Without effort he lifted her onto his desk. The pen holder scratched loudly across its surface when her bum pushed it away and the picture of his family fell on its face. Not caring at all about it Thomas nuzzled into the crook of Barbara's neck. "I could lift you up my desk..."

"You won't dare!" she murmured ignoring the fact that she already sat there. They exchanged an amused look.

"Don't be so sure, Barbara." he whispered. His smile vanished in the gentle kiss he gave her. Thomas let his hands rub across the jeans which covered her hips. Skilfully he opened the button and the zipper. "I could open your jeans."

A sudden thrill tickled through Barbara. It was not only his proximity, or the words he whispered, or his fingers touching her belly only inches above intimate areas, it was in fact the thrill that they could be caught here, doing strictly forbidden things, kissing, cuddling, inappropriately touching each other in his office at New Scotland Yard.

"You shouldn't!" she breathed sounding rather surrendering and deep inside meaning the opposite. Her fists were holding the lapels of his jacket in a firm grip.

"I could spread your legs like this."

"Oh, Tom!" Barbara wound her arms around his neck and pulled his face closer to hers. With an open mouth she welcomed his lips and with her tongue she lured his to come over. He made a step forward and now stood completely between her thighs. Her jeans were open, thus slackened, and there was enough space for his flat hands to slip under the cloth of her knickers. He caressed her hips and her bottom but he did not have to pull her closer because Barbara had hooked her feet into the hollows of his knees and had slid forward by herself.

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"Mmmh!" he hummed his approval into her lungs. Softly kneading fingers dug into the soft flesh of her behinds. His lips wandered to her ear and hers kissed every inch of the skin of his neck. Onto the sensitive spot behind Barbara's ear Thomas whispered "I admit I would happily get rid of the annoying cloth between us."

"You could." she softly moaned but was glad he did not. Then she suddenly chuckled.

"What?" he asked confused and looked into her eyes.

"Your trousers would be pooling around your ankles, Tom," she grinned. "and it wouldn't look very noble to any casual disturber."

Letting their foreheads bump he joined her chuckles.

"I wouldn't care, my Sweet." he breathed. "Because I'd be buried deep inside your warmth."

As if to emphasise it Thomas suddenly ground a cloth covered bulge into her crotch. Barbara could feel damp cloth sticking against herself. The gorgeous friction his groin caused was tempting a lot and she could not suppress another moan. "Oh, I wish we'd be at home in your study, Tom."

They shared another deep and lustful kiss before he tored himself away from her. "We actually should stop here or I'll forget that this is an office at the honourable Met." he groaned.

Barbara leaned back supporting herself with her arms on his desk. She was completely out of breath and had to close her eyes. "Or you could lock that door again!" She was blushing deeply about her own bold suggestion.

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For a few seconds there was silence. Then she opened her eyes and looked at him. There was an unspoken question if she meant what she just had offered and she knew that the expression on her face was confirming it. In a silent dialogue their eyes quickly discussed the pros and cons and what could happen and if they really should give in to the desire they obviously both felt at the moment. Thomas raked a hand through his unruly hair and watched the visible fight Barbara fought with herself. He knew that if she would nod he would be at the door in an instant.

"DI Lynley?" A knock was heard from said door. Thomas grabbed a manila folder to cover his front, spun around and straightened his back as if to hide the devastated woman on his desk. In the same seconds Barbara had hopped off from it, had closed her jeans, pulled down her jumper somewhat more proper than it was, put the strands of hair behind her ears and also grabbed a random file from where she had sat a second ago. Again a voice was heard from outside. "This could be of interest..."

"Yes, yes." For the knowing DI Lynley's voice was nervously husky. "Just come in."

DC Flaherty had no clue what had happened only one moment before. Being excited about his new findings he did not even recognise the blush on his superiors' faces. He also did not see that Sergeant Havers secretly put up the framed picture on DI Lynley's desk.

Well, that had been close...

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One week later, the case had progressed but still was not solved, Thomas finally decided to stop hiding the fresh tattoo under cream and foil. They came home from work rather late, had a quick dinner and before they would go to bed they wanted to share a shower. They partly undressed in the bedroom, then, only in their underwear, they went to the bathroom where Thomas tenderly opened the clasp of Barbara's bra.

"You're rather skilled, Sir." she chuckled.

"I have good reasons, my dear Seargant." Thomas placed a kiss on her shoulder. Barbara turned and pressing her lips onto his she pushed the waistband of his pants over his hip. Undressing him her flat hand accidentally wiped across the clingfoil cover. She looked at it and smiled.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, does it?" With her fingertips she caressed the foil covered area. "You finally should let it breathe some oxygen, Tom."

"And you'd like to see it, hm?"

Barbara nodded. "Very much so."

"Good. Because it's healed."

Thomas grabbed a towel and stepped out of his pants. Turned away from her eyes he carefully removed the plaster straps and the dark green clingfoil. Until now he only had opened or changed it when Barbara had not been around. Now it was time to show it. After wiping it with a wet flannel he turned around again.

Barbara had held her breath. When Thomas showed his hip she sighed with delight. "Oh, Tom!" she rejoiced.

On his left hip, just above the edge of his towel, there was a tiny tattooed lizard. It was of a dark turquoise green and had a red eye. It was not larger than four fifth of an inch and it was almost exactly the mirror image to the one she was having on her right hip.

First he gave her a small kiss, then Thomas put an arm around Barbara's shoulders and gently nugded her so they had to turn together towards the huge mirror opposite to the shower cubicle. His hand slid down to her hip.

Standing naked in front of their reflection they marvelled at their almost identical tattoos. She smiled and a tear glistened in her eye. He squeezed her waist.

"I love you, Barbara."

"And I love you, Tom."

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